Only a few sentences on this passage for it stands by itself. Those who lead, those who teach, those who call themselves pastor are accountable for the congregation they lead.

For them the test is the amount of lying, cheating, corruption and divorce within their congregation. For by their fruits they will be judged.

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”

(Jeremiah 23:1-8 ESV)

The congregation that goes apostate fossilizes. It may last two or three generations as a social club, but it then dies. So look at the track record of the churches in your area. Some are faithful and generally have been so for generations. They have selected ministers who have served God and built the congregation.

Others look for the person who can do church growth, and are more like weeds. There are many abandoned mega-churches, and only a few where the leadership is being passed on — those ones tend to avoid the trap of cult like pastors, and preach the gospel not the culture.

I grieve when a church dies. Because the flock scatters. I see the damage. I know a remnant will be saved, but I want to see a greater number see salvation in my time and in my generation.

So I make no excuse, as a sheep in the pews, talking about evil within the leadership. I am not called to lead. But I still have a duty to think. And the more congregations where the pastor preaches the gospel the better we will be.